Keown speaks so intelligently and sensibly when it comes to defensive tactics and instruction.
He just knows how a team needs to defend as a unit. He calls out the errors, calls out who needs to have been communicating, where that player should have been standing, when the line needs to have moved, when that player should have got tight etc. He knows his onions.
He is largely credited for our amazing defensive record during the 05/06 CL run. Can totally believe that.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever hated a player as much as I hated that schnide cunt Van Nistelrooy, maybe Rooney after the 49 unbeaten game dive. But Van Nistelrooy used to fill me with rage with his antics when we played them… Although it was 19 years ago and I had a lot more testosterone and little patience
He’s in that Denis Irwin category for me. A solid, dependable player who never really stood out, because they never had to, because they were just so naturally good at their job. He had the leadership thing too. I dunno if that adds up to underrated though. He’s ahead of any English CB out there right now for sure.
I still think it’s a shame he never further pursued coaching.
We used to have CB’s like O’Leary, Adams, Bould, Campbell, Toure etc, who were physically and mentally strong leaders, which made them successful.
Keown is up there with the best of them.